###Chapter 1: If You Leave, We Get a Divorce!
"Nina, I’m pregnant. The baby is Zach’s."
On their third wedding anniversary, Nina Wainwright had thought she would receive a thoughtful gift from Zachary Hawthorne.
Instead, what she got was a text ssage from his ex-girlfriend, Luna Sterling, claiming she was pregnant with his child.
In the bedroom of their villa, Zachary Hawthorne was washing up in the bathroom. Nina Wainwright, who had already finished her shower, was sitting on the bed in a silk nightgown. Her phone wasn’t locked, and she saw the ssage the mont it ca in.
The color drained from her face, especially after she picked up her phone and saw what else had been sent from that number.
It was a picture.
A small, fair hand held a pregnancy test, which showed two lines.
But Nina’s gaze didn’t linger on the pregnancy test for long. Instead, it was fixed on the ring finger of that hand.
On that beautiful finger was an incredibly dazzling, priceless diamond ring. And if she wasn’t mistaken, it was the one Zachary had soone bid on at an auction three days ago.
At the ti, she had thought he was going to give it to her.
After all, they had married for a specific reason three years ago, so there had been no wedding and no diamond ring.
She thought he would make it up to her on their third anniversary.
But the truth was so cruel.
Nina was trembling all over.
"What are you looking at?"
Suddenly, a warm body pressed against her from behind. The man still had the steam from his shower clinging to him, exuding a strange allure, especially since they used the sa shampoo and body wash.
Nina loved that they slled the sa. It aroused her more than even the act of making love itself, making her feel like they were a truly devoted and loving couple.
But now, she didn’t know if it was her imagination or... the truth!
She felt that his usual scent, like cedar and cool lakes, was tainted with soone else’s fragrance—a cloyingly sweet sll, just like the one Luna Sterling wore!
His breath ghosted across her neck as he peppered it with soft kisses. A sensual atmosphere began to build.
Nina knew he wanted her. He had been away on a business trip for a while, and they hadn’t made love in several days.
He had always had a strong libido, and when he was ho, she rarely got out of bed.
Before, she had enjoyed their lovemaking. It wasn’t just n who had desires; won did too. Besides, he was incredibly skilled, and he was the man she loved, so of course her passion was easily stirred.
"Don’t touch !"
But now, the thought of him and Luna Sterling... it made Nina feel nauseous. She shoved Zachary Hawthorne away with all her might.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
Nina’s sudden shove caught Zachary completely off guard. He stumbled back, his tall fra freezing a short distance away, a slight frown creasing his brow.
"You..."
Nina looked at the man before her. He was as handso as ever, enough to make her heart skip a beat, but the pain in her heart was growing ever larger. She opened her mouth, wanting to question him.
BUZZ. BUZZ. BUZZ. The vibrating sound echoed through the room again.
This ti, it was Zachary’s phone, but Nina recognized the number—it was the sa one!
"Is that Luna Sterling?"
As Zachary reached for the phone, Nina stepped in front of him. "Don’t you dare answer it."
"Nina."
If Zachary’s expression had been unpleasant before, now it was downright ugly.
"Move."
He even pushed her aside.
Nina stumbled and fell onto the bed. Zachary saw the paleness of her face, and for a fleeting second, a pang of heartache crossed his features. But it vanished so quickly that even he didn’t seem to notice it.
He answered the phone.
"Hello, Luna..."
Zachary, his tall fra wrapped in a bath towel, took the phone and walked out to the balcony.
Before the sliding door closed, the last thing Nina heard was his voice, imbued with a deep gentleness she had never received from him.
A mont later, he ca back inside.
"Yes, I’ll be right over."
But... he was leaving.
"Sothing’s happened with Luna. I’m going to check on her."
He offered this brief explanation as he walked into the walk-in closet, getting dressed and preparing to go out.
Nina imdiately scrambled out of bed and rushed to the closet door. "Is she pregnant with your child?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Can’t you just not go? I don’t want you to go."
She reached out and threw her arms around his waist.
A hint of surprise flickered in Zachary’s eyes, and his eyebrows rose slightly, but he still reached to pull her hands away. "Don’t cause a scene. Sothing really has happened."
"I..."
Nina refused to let go, clinging to him tightly, as if loosening her grip ant giving up on her marriage to Zachary.
But... while she refused to let go, he refused to stay.
The warmth drained from Zachary’s eyes, replaced by an icy chill. "Nina, let go."
"I’ll say it one more ti. Let. Go."
"If you leave, we’re getting a divorce."
She had thought those words might give him a mont’s hesitation, but instead, they were t with a mocking smirk.
"Nina, do you think that’s a threat to , or are you just deaning yourself?"
He pried her last finger off him and imdiately walked out.
"Zachary."
Overwheld with grief, Nina stumbled after him for a few steps before falling to the floor in the hallway. Ahead of her, his peripheral vision caught her crumpled form, yet he didn’t pause for even half a step.
On their wedding anniversary, his ex-girlfriend had flaunted a pregnancy scare at her via text. And her husband, before she even had a chance to ask for an explanation, had abandoned her for that woman after a single phone call.
Nina felt as if a giant hole had been torn in her heart. She sat stunned in the hallway for a long ti until a phone call from ho finally snapped her out of it.
"Hello?"
"Nina, where are you? You have to get to the hospital! Sothing’s happened to your father!"
The Hawthorne Family was the most powerful family in Northridge, while the Wainwright Family was just an ordinary one.
But her father had never been content with being ordinary. He was always trying to find ways to get into exclusive parties and social events.
Three years ago, by a stroke of luck, her father managed to get into a Hawthorne Family event. And then, he offered her up like a gift, sending her to the man’s bed.
Out of a sense of responsibility—and probably because he was fighting with Luna Sterling at the ti, among other reasons—she rose to the position of Mrs. Hawthorne.
Everyone cursed her father for being shaless, for selling his own daughter.
But what no one knew was that when it happened, a part of her had actually been willing. She had been in love with him for a long ti—since high school, if she traced it all the way back.
Back then, she was being bullied by so upperclassn, and he had happened to be passing by and saved her.
She had always rembered. But he had forgotten.
With the Hawthorne Family’s help, her father slowly started a business. But so people just aren’t cut out for business; for three years, every investnt her father made ended in a loss.
Gradually, Zachary grew tired of it. The last ti her father asked him for a large sum of money, he refused.
But her father, relying on his status as a Hawthorne in-law, had brazenly taken out a bridge loan. And tonight, the lenders had co to collect.
Two million. To the Hawthorne Family, it was nothing. But to the Wainwright Family, it was a death sentence!
During a scuffle with the debt collectors, her father fell, hit his head, and was knocked unconscious, bleeding profusely on the spot.
Her mother, at a complete loss, had called her for help.
No matter how angry Nina was, they were still her parents. She imdiately rushed from the Hawthorne estate to the hospital, calling Zachary many tis on the way.
But... every call went unanswered.
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